1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a projection apparatus utilizing light of a light source contained in a housing and projecting an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a projection apparatus, there is a so-to-speak rear surface projection type projecting an image from a rear surface of a screen. Hereinafter, the rear surface projection type projection apparatus is simply called xe2x80x9ca projection apparatusxe2x80x9d. The projection apparatus is superior to a TV set utilizing a cathode-ray tube in terms of small depth in comparison with the TV set, and it is capable of realizing a size reduction more than the TV set utilizing the cathode-ray tube, as a whole, even if a display area is formed to be large.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an example of a constitution for a related projection apparatus. A projection apparatus 1100 has a screen 1061 projected with an image, and a mirror 1062 for reflecting the image, and includes an optical unit 1104. This optical unit 1104 has a lamp house section, not illustrated, of a lamp to serve as light source, a fan, and a control section therefor.
The optical unit 1104 is provided with liquid crystal sections and a projection lens of portions, for example, for three colors of red, green and blue (RGB). The lamp house section is provided with the light source for irradiating light to the optical unit 1104. The fan is an apparatus for circulating air inside the duct provided in the interior of the projection apparatus 1100, and for discharging interior heat to an exterior. A prescribed air outlet is provided on a rear surface of the projection apparatus 1100, and heat inside the duct is discharged to the exterior from the air outlet by means of the fan.
The projection apparatus 1100 forms an image out of light from the light source via the liquid crystal section, under a constitution described above, magnifies the image by means of the projection lens of the optical unit 1104, reflects the projected image by the mirror, and projects the projected image on the screen. The light source generates heat and the projection apparatus 1100 discharges the interior heat to the exterior from the air outlet by means of the fan.
In the related projection apparatus 1100, since there is only one air outlet, in a case where the projection apparatus is installed, when the projection apparatus is utilized in such a blocked state as that a surface provided with the air contact with a wall or the like, and interior temperature is elevated because the interior heat is not discharged to the exterior. When the projection apparatus is utilized in a state described above, there is such a case that a failure has been caused due to elevation of the interior temperature.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a projection apparatus capable of efficiently discharging the interior heat to the exterior, and maintaining the interior temperature to appropriate temperature in order to resolve the problems described above.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the object described above can be achieved by means of a projection apparatus wherein in the projection apparatus having an optical unit for magnifying and projecting an image by using light of a light source, a reflecting means for reflecting the projected image from the optical unit, and a screen projected with the projected image from the reflecting means from a rear surface, wherein the projection apparatus further includes a housing containing the light source and having a plurality of surfaces, and an air exhausting means for discharging the interior heat of the housing, wherein at least one of the air outlets is respectively provided on a plurality of surfaces of the housing on surfaces different from each other.
According to a constitution of the aspect, an optical unit magnifies and projects an image by using light of a light source. A reflecting means reflects the projected image from the optical unit, and a screen is projected from rear surface the projected image, wherein the projection apparatus discharges the interior heat of the projection apparatus from the other air outlet even if one of the air outlets is blocked by means of a wall or the like. Accordingly, the projection apparatus discharges efficiently the interior heat to the exterior, and capable of appropriately maintaining the interior temperature.
According to another aspect of the present invention, at least one of the air outlets is provided on a bottom surface side of the housing to form a passage of heat between an arrangement surface and a bottom surface when the housing is arranged.
According to a constitution of the aspect, even up to a side surface or a rear surface is blocked by means of an adjacent wall or the like, interior heat of the projection apparatus is discharged from an air outlet provided on a bottom section side of the housing via a prescribed passage. Accordingly, since air exhaust is appropriately carried out, even if the side surface or the rear surface is covered, the projection apparatus efficiently discharges interior heat to exterior, so that interior temperature can appropriately be maintained.
According to another aspect of the present invention, at least one of the air outlets is provided on a rear surface side of the housing
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the air outlets include a first air outlet provided on a first surface out of a plurality of surfaces of the housing described above, and a second outlet provided on a second surface except the first surface of the housing described above.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, in a case where the first air outlet is blocked, the interior heat of the projection apparatus is discharged from the second air outlet. Accordingly, the projection apparatus discharges the interior heat efficiently to the exterior, thereby enables the interior temperature to be maintained in an appropriate state.